INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The Indian River County Sheriff’s Office is working on becoming accredited by the Florida Corrections Accreditation Commission, Inc. And, if the agency receives it, the department will be considered a “Triple Crown Agency,” by Sheriff Deryl Loar.
In 1991, the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office was the 173rd Internationally Accredited Law Enforcement Agency to achieve accredited status by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. In 2004, the Sheriff’s Office achieved state accredited status by the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, Inc.
The Sheriff’s Office recently completed mock on-site accreditation assessments for verification of compliance of CFA and FCAC accreditation standards in preparation for the actual on-site assessments both scheduled for November 2009.
Currently there are over 900 agencies internationally accredited by CALEA and the Sheriff’s Office will be the eleventh Sheriff’s Office in the State of Florida to be accredited by all three accrediting bodies – CALEA, CFA, and FCAC. These three accrediting entities are organizations whose goal is to assist agencies to maintain the highest standards of professionalism.
“This is not an easy process, but it is well worth the time and effort put into it,” said Sheriff Loar.
Accreditation is a voluntary process and an agency’s accredited status is maintained for a period of three years. At the completion of a three-year period, the agency must again prove verification of compliance of all accreditation standards during an on-site assessment. There are currently 462 CALEA standards, 84 CFA comparative compliance standards, and 237 FCAC standards. There are many benefits to the agency as well as the community, by the Sheriff’s Office continuing the CALEA, CFA, and FCAC accredited status.
Some of these benefits include:
Accreditation standards give the Sheriff a proven management system of written directives, sound training, clearly defined lines of authority, goals and objectives, and routine reports that support decision-making and resource allocation.
Accredited agencies are better able to defend themselves against civil lawsuits.
Accreditation provides objective evidence of an agency’s commitment to excellence in leadership, resource management, and service-delivery. Thus, government officials are more confident in the agency’s ability to operate efficiently and meet community needs.
Accreditation embodies the precepts of community-oriented policing. It creates a forum in which the agency and citizens work together to prevent and control challenges confronting law enforcement and provides clear direction about community expectations.
Accreditation standards promote the streamlining of operations, providing more consistency and more effective deployment of agency manpower.
Strengthens the facility’s defense against lawsuits and complaints.
Enhanced public credibility for administrative and line staff.
A safer and more humane environment for personnel and inmates.
Demonstration of a “good faith” effort to improve conditions of confinement.
Establishment of measurable criteria for upgrading programs, personnel, and physical plant.
“The benefits to the agency and our community are immeasurable. It maintains consistency, professionalism and efficiency,” said Sheriff Loar.
